


Regulus Black and the Howler

by PunkArsenic



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Child Abuse, Gen, Homophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-02
Updated: 2015-09-02
Packaged: 2018-04-18 16:11:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4712252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PunkArsenic/pseuds/PunkArsenic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>First day back to Hogwarts after the summer Sirius ran away. Fairly short. Ties in with my fic 'Fly Away Home'</p>
<p>warning for the f slur uncensored, and child abuse</p>
            </blockquote>





	Regulus Black and the Howler

It was a relief to be back at Hogwarts. Sirius had spent the rest of their summer - after running away from home - in suspense. They had no idea what would happen; if they'd be sent back to their parents, if they'd successfully arranged to homeschool them. Thankfully, it seemed Walburga and Orion black had failed, and they were as safe as they'd even been within the walls of Hogwarts.

     The Marauders sat down for their first breakfast of the school year, and James slapped the table, "Alright, lads, we are officially N.E.W.T. students. How's it feel?"

    They looked around at each other, and shrugged, "Feels the same as last year," Remus said.

    James nodded sagely, "Except we really have to knuckle down this year."

    Sirius frowned, touching his shoulder, "Are you feeling alright?"

    James nodded, "'Course. I mean, we've only got two years left to succeed in giving Filch a heart attack, and last year's performance was piss poor."

     Everyone laughed, and then James nudged Sirius, "Oi, so how was your summer?"

    Sirius rolled their eyes. James had made this joke three times already. Every time, Sirius came up with a new response, "Oh, it was fine. But, mate, your family has some weird rice."

    James frowned, "What? It's basmati."

  Sirius nodded, "Yeah! Exactly! It's all thin and pointy and scratched my mouth!"

    "Oh well what's rice like in the House of Black then?"

    "Normal! Round and sticky and shit!"

  Remus and Peter exchanged exhausted glances. It looked like the rice wars were going to continue into another year.

    "Brace yourselves," Peter looked up at the owls filling the hall, "Post."

    James and Sirius ignored him, and continued bickering until a great black eagle owl landed in Sirius' eggs. They stared at it, stunned.

     It dropped a letter and flew off. It was small, and black, with the Black Family Crest. It steamed ominously. A howler.

    Sirius' knees buckled, and they fell into their seat, eyes fixed on it. Everyone panicked.

   James pulled out his wand, insisting he was going to 'blow that fucking howler into oblivion,' while Remus was holding Sirius' hand and telling them to cover their ears, get it over with. They couldn't hear any of them, it was like Sirius was under water, just them and the howler.

     They were brought to their senses only when they were shoved aside, and the howler was grabbed by a pair of small hands. Sirius watched, amazed, as Regulus Black ran from the great hall, clutching the howler.

    They heard a pained yell, and then the screaming started. Walburga Black's screams rang through the building in both Mandarin and English, just to make sure the message really got through to Sirius.

     The message consisted of the usual abuse, they were a 'faggot', a 'disgrace', and a 'traitor.' Sirius tried to be nonchalant about it, but they still ended up burying their face into Remus' chest and shivering.

    Walburga's screeches were continually muffled, as Regulus tried whatever he could to make it stop, stamping, holding it closed, Sirius heard him scream as he even tried using his wand against it. Regulus had never got a Walburga Black howler, had no idea how ruthlessly well made they were.

     The screaming stopped. It was the longest howler Sirius had ever received, and undeniably the worst. They forced themself together, pushed Remus and James away, and stood.

     They walked out of the room, to where the howler had opened. Regulus stood in the empty corridor, waving his hands about.

     "It burnt you?" Sirius asked.

  Regulus nodded, "I'm not experienced with these things."

    Sirius rolled their eyes, leaning against the wall, "Obviously. Show me," they held out their hands, and Regulus put his in theirs. They were horribly burnt.

    Sirius shook their head, sighing, "What were you thinking?"

    "I don't think I was," Regulus didn't look up.

   Sirius clapped a hand on his shoulder, and started walking, "Welp, hospital wing for you."

    They walked. Sirius shoved their hands in their pockets; they were still shaking. Regulus held his in front of him, blowing on them. He didn't look at his sibling.

    "I'm sorry, Sirius."

    "For what? Trying to save me from a howler?"

    "For outing you," Regulus said. Sirius stared at the top of his head, surprised. "I was angry, alright? You were really rude. But I shouldn't have done that."

    "Yeah, you really shouldn't. It was fucking awful."

    "I know."

   "I dunno if I can really forgive you."

    "I understand."

   Sirius nudged him, "You're weird, mate. I'll never understand you."

   He kept walking, making no defense. Sirius watched him, trying to understand his motives. They stopped, pulling Regulus back.

   They turned him around and lifted his head, inspecting a deep purple bruise across his temple, "I guess mother got restless with her punchbag gone."

    "What?"

   "Me. I'm the punchbag. She did this, right?"

   Regulus pulled his head away, "No. It was _baba_."

   Sirius' eyes widened. Orion Black was rarely at home, and usually left all discipline to his wife, "What the fuck did you do?"

    "Let you escape."

   Sirius frowned, "I mean, it wasn't like you held the door open for me. I overpowered you, I'm three years older."

    Regulus shrugged, "They didn't see it that way."

   Sirius sighed, standing up straight and smoothing out Regulus' hair, "You could run away. Come live with me! It'll be a squeeze, but Mrs. Potter won't mind!"

     Regulus shook his head, and carried on walking to the hospital wing, "I'm sorry, Sirius."

   They made the rest of the way in silence. When they arrived, Sirius patted Regulus on the shoulder and said, "Don't do that again, alright, _didi_?"

    Regulus smiled slightly, "What, the howler handling or the betraying you to _mama_?"

    Sirius rolled their eyes, walking backwards, "Both would be nice."

* * *

 

  The Marauders caught up with Sirius half way down the corridor. James had smuggled them some toast. Remus took their hand, "Are you alright?"

     Sirius shrugged, "'Snot me I'm worried about."

   Remus gave them a puzzled expression and they shook their head, "Tell you later. What we got first?"

    James threw up his arms, "Defense!"

   Brilliant. It was a fun lesson, and easy to take their mind of breakfast - provided there were no big bangs.

    They made their way to the defense classroom early, eating the slightly fluffy toast James had smuggled under his jumper, and Sirius said, "When I have kids-"

    "Oh no," Remus muttered,

   "I'm gonna make howlers into this big joke. It's your birthday? Howler! Complete with embarrassing singing. Made the quidditch team? Howler! I mean, nobody said they had to be for bad things."

 


End file.
